America's defence budget versus North Korea’s

The two countries' military spending compared

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Kim Jong-un can ramp up the warmongering rhetoric and threaten to carry out further nuclear bomb tests but how much firepower does North Korea actually have compared to the US? We take a closer look at the two countries' vastly different military budgets.

America's annual military budget stands at $824.6 billion (£628.7bn)

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The total US defence budget for the 2018 fiscal year is an eye-watering $824.6 billion ($628.7bn), a hefty increase of 10%, or $54 billion, (£41bn) compared to the previous year, as approved by President Trump and Congress.

North Korea's annual military budget stands at up to $10 billion (£7.6bn)

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Estimates on how much the super-secretive hermit kingdom spends on its military range between $6 billion (£4.6bn) and $10 billion (£7.6bn), putting its expenditure at between 137 and 82 times less than that of America's.

The US has the world's largest defence budget – by far

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When it comes to defence spending, America eclipses every other country in the world, and then some. In fact, the US military budget is bigger than the next nine countries combined, which include major emerging superpowers like China and Russia.

North Korea's defence budget is the world's 46th largest

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Well down in the rankings, North Korea's military budget is estimated to be the 46th largest in the world, which is modest even compared to the expenditure of its nemesis South Korea, which has the 11th biggest defence budget on the planet.

Defence spending represents 3.3% of America's GDP

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Despite its colossal, globally unparalleled defence budget, the richest country on the planet devotes just 3.3% of its GDP to military. Although this is larger than the global average of around 2.2%.

Defence spending represents 22% of North Korea's GDP

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North Korea's military takes a much bigger slice of the pie when it comes to government spending. While the rogue state claims to spend 15.8% of its GDP on defence, experts believe the figure is closer to 22%, making North Korea the country that spends the most on defence relative to GDP.

US defence spending is the second-largest government expenditure

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Military spending is the US government's second-largest expenditure. Social security takes the number one spot. America devotes a staggering $1 trillion (£762bn) annually to this sprawling department.

North Korea defence spending is the largest government expenditure

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To the detriment of its people, many of whom have barely enough to eat, defence spending is hands-down the largest government expenditure in North Korea.

The US military has 1.3 million active personnel and 811,000 reservists

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The US armed forces is the world's second largest after China's People's Liberation Army. The nation's 1.3 million active personnel and 811,000 reservists, along with maintenance of equipment, eat up around a third of the entire defence budget.

The North Korean military has around 1 million active personnel and 600,000 reservists

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North Korea has the world's largest armed forces in terms of personnel per capita with 58 personnel per 100,000 people compared to America's 5 per 100,000, but its military still falls short of America's in terms of total personnel numbers.

The US spends $20 billion (£15.3bn) a year on nuclear weapons

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On average, America devotes $20 billion (£15.3bn) a year to its nuclear weapons' programme, around 2.4% of the entire defence budget. However, last year President Obama approved an enormous long-term budget of $1 trillion (£763bn), which will be used to upgrade the country's nuclear arsenal over the next 30 years.

Experts in South Korea estimate that North Korea has spent between $1 billion (£763m) and $3 billion (£2.3bn) on its entire nuclear programme, a significant chunk of its total defence budget but equivalent to what America spends on just one nuclear-powered submarine.

The US boasts more than 6,800 nuclear warheads

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In early 2017, the US had an impressive arsenal of 6,800 nuclear warheads, 2,800 of which are retired and awaiting dismantlement. The remaining 4,018 make up America's bulging stockpile of nukes.

North Korea boasts an estimated 60 nuclear warheads

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US officials in the know estimate that North Korea currently possesses around 60 nuclear warheads, while a team of independent experts believe the repressive nation has enough uranium to make up to six new nuclear bombs a year.

The US military has access to the world's most advanced military technology

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Around 20% of America's entire annual defence budget is spent on procuring new weapons and equipment. The US has access to the most sophisticated weaponry in the world, which certainly doesn't come cheap.

North Korea has to make to do with outdated military technology

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North Korea, on the other hand, has to make do with what the American military would consider obsolete weaponry and equipment. North Korea's hardware is a mix of World War II vehicles and arms, ageing Cold War tech and more recent Soviet and locally made weapons.

The US Army has 51,510 advanced key assets

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The US Army & Marine Corp gets around 25% of the total defence budget. Like all branches of the US military, the army is extremely well equipped. Its inventory includes 5,844 technologically-sophisticated combat tanks, 41,062 armoured fighting vehicles, 3,244 heavy artillery guns and 1,331 rocket projectors.

The Korean People's Army has 18,705 not so advanced key assets

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The Korean People's Army, which is of course nowhere near as generously funded as its US counterpart, has an inventory of dated equipment. This includes 5,025 tired combat tanks, 4,100 armoured fighting vehicles, 6,550 deteriorating heavy artillery guns and 2,400 old rocket projectors.

The US Air Force has a total of 13,762 state-of-the-art aircraft

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When it comes to supremacy in the skies, the US is pretty much unbeatable with a total of 13,762 cutting-edge aircraft. The inventory includes 2,292 fighter aircraft, 2,782 attack aircraft and 947 attack helicopters. The Air Force takes around 28% of the total US defence budget.

The Korean People's Army Air Force has 944 ageing aircraft

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The Korean People's Army Air Force has to contend with 944 much older aircraft. These include a total of 458 fighter aircraft, 572 attack aircraft and just 20 attack helicopters that have seen better days.

The US Navy has aircraft carriers, destroyers, and more

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The US Navy, which is allocated around 28% of the total US defence budget, is the envy of the world. The powerful force boasts 19 aircraft carriers, 63 destroyers and eight frigates, not to mention 70 submarines.

The Korean People's Navy has to get by with frigates

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A much more modest outfit, the Korean People's Navy has zero aircraft carriers or destroyers. The country's most formidable sea vessels are its frigates, which number around 11, as well as its 438 patrol craft and scores of submarines.

The US military has thousands of ballistic missiles at its disposal

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The US has no shortage of weapons of mass destruction. The country's military has a stockpile of thousands of advanced ballistic missiles, including Trident and Minuteman missiles, as well as 14 ballistic missile submarines.

North Korea is believed to possess 1,000 ballistic missiles

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North Korea is thought to have amassed 1,000 ballistic missiles in total, from short-range Hwasong missiles that can hit South Korea, to longer-range Musudan missiles that can reach American bases on Guam. The country is thought to have a handful of repurposed Soviet ballistic missile submarines.

The US spends 0.8% of its defence budget fighting cyber warfare

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In order to combat ever-increasing global threats, the US government hiked up the military's cyber security budget last year by 15%, taking its annual expenditure on cyber security to a not too shabby $6.7 billion (£5.1bn). This represents just 0.8% of the country's entire defence budget.

North Korea spends an estimated 20% of its defence budget waging cyber warfare

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In contrast, according to a high-profile defector North Korea spends an enormous 20% of its defence budget waging cyber war on its enemies. The country's infamous 'Bureau 21' hackers are thought to have been behind the infamous Sony hack in 2014 and the major global Ransomware attack earlier this year.